We all know the name of the man who revolutionized automobile production in America, but do you know the equally compelling tale of the first freight trailer?
Surprisingly, the success of the Model-T was heavily influenced by its ability to transport cargo with the newly invented “trailer.” The humble beginnings of the first semi-trailer just over one hundred years ago was retold with a firsthand account given by the late Roy Fruehauf, August Fruehauf’ son.
In 1914 Frederic M. Sibley a Detroit lumber tycoon went to see August Charles Fruehauf about a problem. An obstacle whose solution would revolutionize cargo transportation around the world.
Mr. Sibley had recently purchased an estate on a lake in upper Michigan. As the weather was improving with summer only a few months away, Mr. Sibley realized he needed to transport his new boat to the remote estate. He knew a horse and wagon would not do, it would take days, not to mention the cost of horses and labor. Complications in mind, Mr. Sibley presented August Fruehauf with his Model-T Ford, wondering if somehow a contraption could be rigged up to hook onto the roadster to haul the boat.
Roy Fruehauf recounted the trailers origin, “Piece by piece they beat out and bolted a sturdy two-wheeler that they hooked to the rear of Mr. Sibley’s Model-T frame with a pole that acted both as tongue and brake. They called it a semi-trailer. The trailer got the boat to Sibley’s lake. And Mr. Sibley, impressed by its performance, decided that such a rig—with a platform—would be most efficient for running about his lumber yard—getting together odds and ends orders—and delivering them. He reasoned he’d save man hours and horse feed—and could make a lot more trips more efficiently.”
Fruehauf’s trailers are in use around the world, at any given moment there are thousands of trailers on the road. GPS location knowledge helps businesses know where their transport is at all times. Innovation, technology and look to the future that the Fruehauf Trailer Company embraced in their century long dominance in the trailer industry is what Spireon does each day for all of its customers.
If you’re like the impatient lumber tycoon, wanting to make the most of your business, check out Spireon’s Trailer and Asset Management solutions.
For the full story check out the Fruehauf Trailer Historical Society’s website.